Device for threading fixed needles, particularly sewing machine needles



Sept. 19, 1961 E. ULLISPERGER DEVICE FOR THREADING FIXED NEEDLES, PARTICULARLY Filed May 29, 1959 SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENT OR BUY/'3 er r DEVICE FOR THR G FIXE WING MACH NEED Filed May 29, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 19, 1961 .ULLI ERGER 3,000,545

D DLESLEgARTICULARLY Sept. 19, 1961 E. ULLISPERGER 3,000,545 DEVICE FOR THREADING FIXED NEEDLES, PARTICULARLY SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES Filed May 29, 1959 '3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR 5 5L711 spergyer fiTTYS.

3,000,545 DEVICE FOR THREADING FIXED NEEDLES, PAR- TICULARLY SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES Edmund Ullisperger, 32 Hauptstrasse, Bergerhausen,

Kreis Bergheim, Germany Filed May 29, 1959, Ser. No. 816,811

Claims priority, application Germany May 29, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 223-99) This invention relates to a device for threading fixed needles, particularly sewing machine needles.

There are known threading devices for sewing machine needles. The automatically working devices are mounted on a stationary part of the sewing machine as, for example, the needle bar holder or the like. When the device is not used, it is turned down or folded upwardly. By the permanent connection with a part of the sewing machine adjacent to the moving needle, which is also adjacent to the work to be performed, the device even in the inoperative position is a hindrance to the operation. In sewing machines in which a double or triple needle is used, the threading device is not suited for threading all needles. The known needle threaders operated by hand facilitate the threading operation, but these devices have the disadvantage that the eye of the needle has to be sought by means of the device. For this reason, threading is now as before complicated and time-consuming for persons who have bad sight or an unsteady hand.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for threading fixed needles, especially sewing machine needles, in which the foregoing disadvantages are overcome. The device according to the invention has the threader or pushing needle in the rest position projecting beyond a recess provided in the threading device for receiving the sewing needle to be threaded. The pushing needle is subjected to the action of a spring which may be limited by an abutment to a certain zone. The displacement of the pushing needle is suitably coupled with an indicating device which indicates the actual position of the pushing needle, the indicating device being in direct operative connection with the pushing needle. The indicating device may be arranged between the pushing needle and an elastic support and may be pressed by the action of a spring against the pushing needle or a part thereof.

In the foregoing manner there is obtained a threading device which is not connected with or mounted on a part of the sewing machine but which is a separate element which may be freely handled. In this device, the correct threading position or level of the threader is obtained automatically without feeling for the eye of the needle to be threaded. The correct position of the threading device applied to the sewing machine needle is indicated to the operator by theindicating device, whereupon the pushing needle may be operated for the threading operation.

As various sizes of sewing needles have to be threaded by one threader needle, the thickness of the same is dependent on the smallest needle eye of the group of sizes of sewing machine needles intended for this threader. It has been found that the available cross-section of the sewing machine needle eye is not sufiicient to give the threader needle the desired stability and strength. These difliculties of bending and breaking the threader needle arise especially in threaders for sewing machine needles since their eyes have in general a'smaller inside width than the .sewing needles. operated by hand. For this reason, the threading part of .the pushing needle is provided at one or both sides witha longitudinal groove extending to one side edge. The cross-section of this threader needle partpassing through the eye is shaped like a U, double T, L or T. By this formation of the Patented Sept. 19., 1961 ice threader or pushing needle is obtained a much greater stability of the threading part of the pushing needle. The increased stability secures a more reliable threading operation. The thread may be placed nearly completely in the grooves of the pushing needle so that the pushing action is more reliable.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view on line 1-1 of FIG. 2, showing one side section of the housing and the contained threading mechanism,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the complete housing of the threading device,

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section on line 33 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 1 and shows the position in which the threading device is applied to the fixed sewing machine needle but has not yet reached the level of the needle eye,

FIGS. 6 and 7 show parts of the threading device respectively in elevation and section with the threader or pushing needle retracted,

FIGS. 8 and 9 shpw parts similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 with the pushing needle in threading position,

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the pushing needle removed from the housing,

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary view showing the forward end of the pushing needle passed through the eye of the sewing machine needle,

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the pushing needle shown in FIG. 10, and

PEG. 13 is a modified form of pushing needle with a hook at the threading end thereof.

In the illustrated embodiment, the threading device designated in general by the reference character 10 is formed from two casing parts 11 and 12 which enclose the threading mechanism, consisting of a pushing needle 13 which is displaceably mounted in a longitudinal direction in the casing. The pushing needle 13 is connected with a carriage 14 which is guided between the ribs 15 of the casing parts. The carriage 14 is provided at both sides with bolt-like lugs 16 which project from casing parts 11, 12 and hear at the outside gripping pieces 17 and 18. The pushing needle 13 is connected with the carriage 14 by means of a pin 14a. The carriage 14, the lugs 16, and the pushing needle 13 are subjected to the action of a spring pull, as for example, an elastic strip 19, for withdrawal of the pushing needle. The elastic strip is an endless rubber band which is put around the fixed pin 20 extending between the casing parts 11, 12 and also around the front edge of the carriage 14.

The indicating device for the position of the pushing needle is mounted on the fixed pivot pin 21 and consists of a two-armed lever 22. One lever arm 22a projects from the casing through a slot 23 and the other lever arm 22b is in constant engagement with an upper projection 13a of pushing needle 13. The lever 22 is subjected to the action of the upper arm 25 of a leaf spring and which arm engages the lower side of lever arm 22a. The windings of the spring enclose a bolt 31 and the lower arm 24 of the spring rests upon the ribs 15. The spring 24-25 is stronger than restoring spring 19 so that lever arm 22b of lever 22 is in permanent contact with the projection 13a of pushing needle 13. In the casing is provided a fixed abutment 26 which limits the swinging movement of lever 22.

The casing parts 11 and 12 are cut out at 11a and 11b towards the front side to provide a needle entrance opening 29. Into this opening projects a part 27 formed as a clamp with the two elastic jaws 27a and 27b. These jaws are formed with a recess 28 at their inner ends. This recess serves for receiving the needle to be threaded and for this purpose the sides of the recess form on each side an obtuse angle. In this manner various size of needles may be enclosed, as for example, at four points. By means of the clamp 27 which preferably consists of plastic material, the .threading device is held on the fixed sewing needle. If casing is moved towards the fixed sewing needle, the top 130 of the pushing needle 13 abuts against the sewing needle and is pressed back a certain distance. If the sewing needle 33 is provided with a longitudinal groove 34, the top 130 is guided therein. By pressing back of the pushing needle 13, the indicating lever 22 is moved by means of the projection 13a against the action of spring so that lever 22 moves into the casing 10 corresponding to the position of parts shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Casing 10 is now moved downwards along the fixed sewing needle 33. As soon as the top 130 reaches the level of needle eye 35, the pressed back pushing needle 13 finds no more any resistance and again returns into its rest position (FIG. 1) since spring 25 is stronger than restoring spring 19. The advancing movement of the pushing needle 13 over a short distance into the rest position of the parts effects an outward movement of lever arm 22a of the indicating lever from the casing (FIG. 1). This is the sign for the operator that the threading device has reached the level of the threading operation. By means of gripping pieces 17 and 18, the pushing needle 13 is now advanced against the action of spring pull 19 so that the thread to be threaded is guided in known manner through the needle eye in the form of a loop as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The pushing needle 13 is now released and is returned by restoring spring 19 into the rest position of FIG. 1. The whole device may be removed from the fixed sewing needle 33, the elastic jaws 27a and 27b moving away from one another.

Instead of an elastic strip 19 as a restoring spring, any other suitable spring may also be used.

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the pushing needle 13 may be formed in a special manner. The part 13b of the needle is provided on both sides with longitudinal grooves 36, 37 so that the cross-section 38 of the threader needle part is shaped like a double T or I. In this manner an increased moment of resistance is obtained against lateral bending. Due to the grooves 3 6 and 37, there is sufiicient room between the vertical web 13d of the needle part 13b and the inner walls of the needle eye 35 for receiving the thread 30.

As shown in FIG. 12, the threading part 13b of the flat needle 13 is tapered at the front end in a plane perpendicular to the needle surface at 39 or is formed conically with rounded edges. The grooves 36, 37 may likewise converge in the same plane towards the front end so that the vertical web 13d is tapered and rounded at the front end. Rearwardly, the grooves may gradually pass over into the needle surface.

The cross-section of the threading part may be formed in the same manner in a hook needle according to FIG. 13. The cutout 4G for forming the hook 41 is made only to such depth that the lower web of the double T- shaped or I cross-section is completely maintained. In the hook needle, it is sufiicient if the part lying beneath the cutout 40 is reinforced. There is suitably provided a cutout 40 extending at both sides to the upper edge of the needle so that the hook-shaped threading part 41 has a cross-section shaped like an inverted T.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for threading fixed needles, particularly sewing machine needles, comprising a housing, a pushing needle reciprocable in the housing, a pair of elastic needle gripping jaws at one end of the housing for aligning the eye of the machine needle with the pushing needle, resilient means engageable with the pushing needle for moving the forward end thereof with an entrained thread through the eye of the needle to be threaded and resilient means for retracting the pushing needle, said resilient means for moving the pushing needle into threading position including a lever pivotally mounted in the housing with one end thereof projecting outwardly of the housing and another end in the housing engageable with the pushing needle for indicating the position of the pushing needle with respect to the needle to be threaded, and resilient means in the housing engaged with said lever, the pushing needle being moved to threading position against the tensioned retracting means.

2. A device for threading needles as in claim 1, including means in the housing engageable with the inner end of the lever for limiting the forward movement of the pushing needle into threading position.

3. A device for threading needles as in claim 1, wherein the forward end of the pushing needle has longitudinal grooves in its opposite sides to accommodate a thread for passage through a needle eye.

4. A device for threading needles as in claim 1, wherein the forward end of the pushing needle has longitudinal grooves in its opposite sides to accommodate a thread for passage through a needle eye with the grooves converging toward the forward end of the pushing needle.

5. A device for threading needles as in claim 1, wherein a hook is carried by the forward end of the pushing needle.

6. A device for threading fixed needles, particularly sewing machine needles, comprising a housing, a pushing needle reciprocable in the housing, a pair of elastic needle gripping jaws at one end of the housing for aligning the eye of the machine needle with the pushing needle, resilient means engageable with the pushing needle for moving the forward end thereof with an entrained thread through the eye of the needle to be threaded, resilient means for retracting the pushing needle, a carriage in the housing to which the pushing needle is attached, a two-armed lever pivoted in the housing to indicate the position of the pushing needle with respect to the needle to be threaded having one arm projecting from the housing and the other arm engageable by the carriage, and gripping blocks at the outer side of the housing attached to the carriage for moving the carriage and pushing needle.

7. A device for threading fixed needles, particularly sewing machine needles, comprising a housing, a pushing needle reciprocable in the housing, a pair of elastic needle gripping jaws at one end of the housing for align ing the eye of the machine needle with the pushing needle, resilient means engageable with the pushing needle for moving the forward end thereof with an entrained thread through the eye of the needle to be threaded and resilient means for retracting the pushing needle, said resilient means for moving the pushing needle into threading position including a lever pivotally mounted in the housing with one end thereof projecting outwardly of the housing and another end in the housing engageable with the pushing needle for indicating the position of the pushing needle with respect to the needle to be threaded and resilient means in the housing engaged with said lever, the pushing needle being moved to threading position against the tensioned retracting means, a carriage in the housing to which the pushing needle is attached and gripping blocks at the outer side of the housing attached to the carriage for moving the carriage and pushing needle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,147 Lighty Oct. 27, 1891 748,913 Battey Jan. 5, 1904 2,108,474 Brun et al Feb. 15, 1938 2,609,771 Vogel Sept. 9 1952 2,667,294 Hoeckele Ian. 26, 1954 2,680,148 Von Ullisperger June 8, 1954 2,767,671 Shapiro Oct. 23, 1956 

